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MEDIA ADVISORY: Alexandria City Council Votes to Approve Beauregard Small Area Plan

Today, the Alexandria City Council voted 6-0-1 to approve the Beauregard Small Area Plan. For approximately three years, residents, businesses, community organizations, neighboring civic groups, property owners, and the City have participated in 78 meetings as they worked together to create the vision for this area over the next 30 years. The Plan provides the framework that includes:

Dedicating at least 800 units of committed affordable and workforce housing to replace 32 percent of the existing residential apartments. Further study of how to implement this housing plan will be done before rezoning occurs

Establishing a neighborhood town center offering expanded retail and restaurant choices, and a new grocery store

Building a new fire station to improve emergency capacity

Improving the Seminary-Beauregard intersection

Adding convenient, frequent high capacity bus rapid transit service

Acquiring 44.5 acres of public open space and a new athletic field for community recreation

Adding new local streets to create a walkable community

Providing 40 percent tree canopy as part of redevelopment

Incorporating nearly six miles of new bike lanes and multi-use trails

The Plan necessitates developer and City contributions of $210 million to pay for community improvements, including affordable housing, a new fire station, transit, and open space. Nearly $154 million is directly contributed by developers, and $120 million of the total will be used to pay for the affordable housing components of the Plan. Of the rest, $66 million will be used for traffic improvements, $11 million to construct a fire station, and more than $12 million to pay for recreation and other public amenities. The City’s $56 million contribution will be derived almost exclusively from new taxes that the Beauregard development will generate.

“The City has worked with the community to ensure a long-term vision for the Beauregard Plan. This Plan will help shape our future by providing an integrated framework for connecting residential and retail growth with important improvements to transit, public safety, and open space,” said Mayor William D. Euille. “Opportunities for affordable housing are also a priority--and this Plan ensures at least 800 units of affordable housing will be available in the future. Additionally, the City will benefit from the Beauregard Plan because we will strengthen our transportation system by establishing a public/private partnership to pay for these improvements.”